3 Things to consider before taking your pooch to stores that allow dogs in the US

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1- Call ahead first

First, let me remind you to call ahead before taking your dog to any of these pet-friendly stores, just to be sure the rules haven’t changed.

Lowe’s is an example of a store that used to allow dogs but reversed the policy a few years ago.

2- Be a responsible pet parent!

Remember, YOU are responsible for how your dog behaves in the store.

Keep him on his leash and close to your body at all times, rather than letting him explore to the fullest extent of his leash. This allows you to react more quickly if your dog gets startled or nervous.

3-Remember, people are curious!

Also, please remember that people are very curious, especially children.

If your dog absolutely despises everyone but you touching him, you might want to reconsider taking him to the store. Yes, it would be nice if everyone asked first before digging their hands through his lush fur, but that’s just not reality.

If Fido freaks out when kids come near him, he doesn’t belong in the store. What was meant to be a fun outing with your pooch can quickly turn into a tragedy.

If your dog is mellow and loves meeting new people, setting out for a shopping adventure is easy with these dog-friendly stores in the US.

Top Stores That Allow Dogs in the US

FYI, this list of dog-friendly stores in the US is handy even if you don’t usually take your pooch with you everywhere you go.

Case in point: we used to travel about 30 minutes away to go to our vet. He was a really good vet with amazing prices, it was worth the trip! Sadly, he’s not with us anymore, and we found a vet closer to home, but I digress.

On the way home from the vet, we passed pretty much every major store that you could ever need to shop at.

There were so many times that I needed something from a home improvement store but didn’t know if Menards was dog-friendly, or times when I wanted to just pop into the craft store to pick up some supplies for my son, but didn’t want to leave my pooch in the car.

So, like I said, even if you don’t constantly tote Tiger along, you might want to keep this list of pet-friendly stores in the US handy for those times that you do travel with your pup!

1. Pet Stores

Pet stores are the most obvious pet-friendly stores in the US.

Pretty much every major pet retailer, including PetSmart, PetCo, and Pet Supplies Plus, will allow you to bring your leashed dog into the store.

It makes sense because most of these larger retailers also offer grooming and training services, and some even offer veterinarian services.

Smaller local pet stores are also typically dog-friendly, but you might want to call ahead to double check.

Very small shops may not have enough room to allow dogs to strut their stuff, so they could ban them entirely or just allow small dogs. It’s not because they don’t want your dog in the store, but rather because space doesn’t allow it.

2- Home Improvement Stores

Home Depot & Menard’s: Here’s the answer to your question of “Is Menards dog friendly?” For the most part, these home improvement stores are almost always dog friendly stores in the US. Not only can you grab everything you need to build a new dog house, you can take you dog with you to help pick out the materials.

Rarely will you have a problem bringing your dog into a home improvement store unless you do so without them on a leash.

While these two home improvement stores are among the most popular that allow dogs, other smaller local shops may also be open to letting Fido browse with you.

3- Farming & Fishing Shops

Being stores for farmers, hunters and sportsman they often cater to pet needs as well. They can be a fun place to venture out with your dog in tow. Make sure to check with store management in advance to make sure it is okay with them for you to bring your dog.

4- Department Stores

While these stores, like many others on our list, also make note that it is at individual store managers’ discretion, you will find more often than not that they are very pet friendly. Again, keeping your dog on a leash is important.

5- Specialty stores

There are actually a ton of specialty stores that allow dogs to shop with you!

Hobby shops like Hobby Lobby and Michaels are both dog-friendly.

The Apple Store also doesn’t mind your well-behaved pooch tagging along. The stores that surprised me the most, though, are the beauty shops. Lush, Bath & Body Works, and Sephora are all dog-friendly stores in the US!

However, one thing to keep in mind: while the individual stores may be dog-friendly, if you’re shopping in a mall, you need to abide by the overall rules of the entire shopping complex.

Basically, if, say, Bath & Body Works has its own entrance and you don’t plan to go anywhere else in the mall, you may be able to get away with bringing your dog. If you plan to step foot outside their store, though, you’ll need to check the rules.

Do you have any current challenges in your relationship with your dog?

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